Work-sheet-locating means



Jan. 10, 1928. 1,655,415

H. A. FooTHoRAP WORK SHEET LO'CATING MEAN-S Filed April v6. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. l0, 1928.

H. A. FOOTHORAP WORK SHEET LOCATING MEANS Filed April 6. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 10, 1928.

H. A. FOOTHORAP WORK SHEET LOCATING MEANS Filed April 6. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 SHQ: n

Jan. l0, 1928. 1,655,415

H. A. Foo'rHoRAP WORK SHEET LOCATING MEANS Filed April 6. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l ad I 10 I l s-2 Patent-ed Jan. 1o, l192e..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY A. FO'OTHORAP, 0F yHAREtISBUItGr, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 ELLIOTT- FISHER COMPANY, A CORPORATION F DELAWARE.

WORK-SHEET-LOCATING MEANS.

Application mea 'April e, 1926. serial no. 100,095.-

'lhis invention relates to sheet locating means whereby a work sheet or a plurality of'work sheets may be quickly and accurately located relative to a platen and to each other. v 1

The object ofthe invention is to provide a sheet or form with locating meanscooperating with a locator in a manner to permit the rapid manipulation of the form and its instant and accurate location in any one of a Wide variety of predetermined positions as,

for instance, the line positions of a typewritten or other spaced record. p

Another object is to provide a series of forms, with identical locating means arranged` to coact with the same locatorto accurately locate each of the sheets. in its proper lined position throughout a wide range of relative positions of the sheets or forms.

'A still further object is to form the sheet or sheets with locating means sodesigned that `the sheet mayl be, freely moved while in contact with the locatorto the v'selected line position.

To the accomplishment of these objects and others as will hereinafter appear, several embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan viewof a portion of an Elliott-Fisher bookkeeping machine with the statement, customers ledger and automatic audit sheet located thereon in accordance with myk invention.

Figure 2 is a lsimilar view with the forms lwithdrawn from the clamp to disclose their .locating edges.

Figure 3 lis a detail view l showing one `ofc the forms in engagement with the locator'.V

Fi ure 4 is a similar View of a portion of two orms and the locator and illustrating the manner in which these two sheets move .inopposite directions in contact with the locator to seek a common line location.

Figure 5 is a similar view with one form locatedand the other two forms in Contact with the locator and seeking location.'

Figure 6 is a detail view of the locator.

Figure? is a view partly in section of va fragment of the platen and its frame showing the manner in which the locator is secured` in the platen frame and disposed for cooperation with forms supported by the platen.

platen .while the latter occupies a slightly stationaryv platen frame -2 having side memo5 bers 3 constituting tracks or guides on which the printing or recording mechanism moves longitudinally of the platen to line space the lines of writing. The recording mechanism also travels transversely of the platen for-'letter `spacing in a manner well understood.

Extending inwardly from the frame members 43 and disposed longitudinally thereof are stationary work clampst and 5 on which 75 are displayed line scales 6, the divisionsr of which correspond with the line' positions or locations of the recording mechanism. The work' sheets or forms are placed' upon the depressed position and are properly locatedl longitudinally of the platen with the aid of the line scales. The platen is then elevated and the form or forms are securely clamped against one or both clamps and retained in proper position during the printing of the record.

The accurate line location of the forms ordinarily requires considerable skill and." limits the speed of operation of the machine. The difficulty is naturally increased and additional time is consumed when lthe particular class o f work being doneentails the handling of a number of superposed forms which sometimes vary considerably in 'dig5 mensions. A further element of diiculty is involved in certain billing and bookkeep- -ing operations in which partial replacement ofthe forms is required and recollation of the forms necessitated as the work progresses. These diiculties will be readily recognized by 'those familiar with bookkeeping and condensed billing operations.

It .becomes important, therefore, to provide form locating means which permit rapid collation of the forms in accurate line location.

In accordance with my invention this purpose may be accomplished by providing an edge of each form with a. series of comnu Ill! ' Learners paratively flat arcuate tabs or projections 7 defining intermediate outwardly tlaring notches 8, the opposed walls t) and l0 of which are oppositely curved. Blind in practice that au entirely satisfactory construction is secured by cutting the projection 7 on a radius of .O of an inch -with .i90 as the distance between centers and .U9 as the depth of the notches. 'lhese dimensions result in projections slightly less than semicircular and satisfactorily resistant to any tendency to bend or break either in the ordinary handling of the form or when brought into contact with the locator 11 during the manipulation of the form on the' platen.

he locator 11 is disposed vertically at the inner side of the left hand side member 3 of the platen frame as shown in Figure 7, being rigidly secured thereto by shanlr 12 and accommodated by a notch llin the platen The forms remain in engagement with the locator regardless of the horizontal plane in which the platen may be located. rlhis will be better understood by reference to Figure 8. The forms are placed on the depressed platen and properly line located by engagement with the locator l1. When the platen is elevated, the forms remain in engagement with the locator and are carried up and clamped against the clamp 4 bythe platen. The transverse contour of that portion of the locator 1l which extends inwardly from the frame member 3 conforms to the adjacent contour of the form when the latter is in an accurate line location with the locator occupying one of the notches or interdental spaces 8. It will thus be seen that the locator proper has convergent side faces, the radii of which are substantially the same'as the radii of the two adjacent tabs or projections 7 of the form'and are struck from centers spaced bysubstantially the same interval as the centers from `which two adjacent projections are struck. It follows from what has been said that when a form has beenmoved into complete engagement with the locator, the edge of the form will rest against and be properly lined up by the side member 3 of the frame which constitutes a work gage and guide as clearly indicated in Figure 3.

It will now be seen that a form placed on the vplaten may be moved longitudinally thereof 'in contact with the locator and. with just sufficient lateral pressure to cause what may be said to be the automatic engagement of the form and locator with the latter fitted into one of the notches 8. This engagement will be complete in each line position reached by the form so that when the movement of a form has presented it in proper relation to another form or other forms engaged by the locator, said form will be likewise accurately located in the selected line position. The accuracy of this location is the invariable result of the engagement of the form with the locator and its contact with the side of the frame. 'llhe operator may then cause the elevation of the platen with assurance that all forms are T in exact line registration.

lt is obviously 'immaterial in what direction longitudinally of the platen the forms are moved in seeking a selected line location. As the engaging contours of the form and locator are exactly the same at opposite sides of the line, the form may be moved back and forth with equal-facility and while in constant contact with the locator to a new line location. x

ln this back and forth movement of the form, it is obvious that the locator `follows the contour of its locating edge and repeatedly opposes a yielding resistance to the movement of the form which is greatest in cach line position of the form because the locator will be fully engaged in a notch. It, however, the line location reached is not the one desired, further pressure on the sheet willcause it to be cammed away from the locator to cause the disengagement of the latter from the notch and `its subsequentengagement with a succeeding notch of the form. of the distinguishing characteristics of this inventive concept. That is to say, it is believed to be new to provide locating means coacting with a. form in such a'manner that the form may be freely 'shifted to select a. line or other location and will be repeatedly opposed by yielding resistancewhich will apprise the operator when the form reaches cach position of true registration whether it be the particular one desired or not. Another underlying thought appears to be the provision of a camming actionbetwccn a loca or and a form. This camming action is apparent not only as the cause of the withdrawal of the locator from a notch in the form when the form is moved in a direction lengthwise of its notched edge, but it is also clearly apparent when we consider the manner in which a form or aplurality of forms are canmied into accurate line positions by a slight lateral pressure on the form in the direction of the loca-tor when the form or forms are already in an approximate, but not accurate, line position.

By reference to Figure Al, it will be noted that two superposed forms are in approximate line position being slightly outl of place in 'opposite directions. It' now the right lhand edges of these forms are lightly tapped in a manner usual in lining up sheets, the flared curve and generally inclined edges of the tabs or projections 7 will act as cams which by contact with the locator will cause the two forms to be cammed in opposite directions and into accurate registration.

In Figures 9 to 14, inclusive, I have shown modified forms of my invention. These "J This is one lrff) merging into concave portions 9e.

forms are not specifically claimed herein, but appear to clearly fall within the scope of the invention in its broader aspect. yIn each, as

in the form described, the edge of the sheet. coacts with si locator to accurately locate the position of the sheet, but permits the sheet to be moved in a horizontal plane to the location selected.

In Figure 9 the notches 9a in the edge of the form are of arcuate form forming intermediate projections 9b having' arcuate ends 9c which are diminutive compared with the recesses and notches. The locator 11 in this instance is formed with a convex face 9d The ylocator' thus conforms to the shape of the ad-4 jacent edge of the form when the latter is lined up against the side member of lthe frame in accurate line location.

f the edge' In Figure 10 the edge ofthe yform is cut to define alternate convex and concave portions or projections and depressions 10a and 10", identical reversely disposed to move freely over and to beengaged and located by a locator 10c having a concavo-convex face conforming to the edge of the form when the latter is against the laten trame.

In-Figure 11, the e ge of the sheet is' formed with identical projections and depressions 11a and 11", the former having curved ends 11 and the latter curved bottoms 111 with the sides of the projections formed bytanvularly related straight lines 11c and 11. In other Words, in .Figure 11 othe sheetis formed with' identical saw t eth, the ends of which` and the bottoms of t e interdental spaces between which are rounded to facilitate the sliding or slip- Aping of the form across a locator 11g, the

face of which conforms to the adjacent contour ot' the form.

In Figure 12 a true saw tooth form is imparted to the edge of the sheet, the projec-v tions and notches 12l and 12b being of triangular form'l and engaginga correspondingly formed locator 12. f

In Figure' 13 the sheet is formed with -inclined teeth or projections 13, the angular dispositiony ofywhich produces, a straight inclined runner 13" and a locking face 13e. llw ends of the teeth are curved as shown at 13 and the bottoms of the notches 13e are prcfcralbly curved as shown at 13. The locatoll-lg is shown formed with two teeth engaging two adjacent notches of the sheet though obviously a single tooth would be effective.

In the several forms of the inventionsy shown inthe'rst twelve igures,'it will be noted that the form may be moved past the locator in both directions with equal facility. lVith the arrangement shown in Figure 13, however, it is contemplated that the form will move only in one direction longitudinally of its notched edge when seeking the the sheet or form will be resisted bythe teeth of the locator.

In Figure 14, the locator shown in Figure 3 is yieldingly mounted and backed by a spring. This permits the necessary relative lateral movement of the sheet and locator to be secured by movement of the locator instead of the sheet. A

-Usually the form locating means are disposed at one side only of the platen,but it is obviously immaterial which side of the plat-en is utilized for this purpose or whether one or both sides of the platen and sheets are equipped with form locating means. In fact the location of diiferent sheets of the same set or group at different sides of the platen is contemplated, but it is thought to' be unnecessary to specifically illustrate and describe such obvious duplications andy variations of arrangement of the locating means wherein the invention appears to reside.

I claimi v z 1. In combination, a locator, and a Work sheet movable past the locator to different line positions by pressure exerted on the sheet and having at one edge a line of loator engaging .notches determining such positions, the notches being of greater Width than depth and having opposite edges diverging from a common point, to provide.

locating cams movable on the locator when such pressure is exerted on the sheet in the longitudinal direction of the line of-notches to move the sheet to successive positions.-

2. In combination, a locator, and. a Work sheet adapted to be moved past the locator to dierent line positions by pressure ex- .erted on the sheet, said sheethaving at one edge a line of substantially semi-circular tabs providing arcuate locating cams movable on the locator when such pressure is exerted on the sheet Ain the longitudinal direction of the line of tabs to move the sheet to successive positions and defining locator engaging notches for determining line positions of said sheet.

3. In combination, a locator, and a work sheet movable past the locator to di'erent liney positions by pressure exerted on the sheet, said sheet having at one edge a line of substantially semi-circular tabs providing arcuate locating cams movable on the locator when such pressure is exerted on the ino lofi

Sheet in the longitudinal direction of the line of tabs to move the sheet to successive positions, and defining locator engaging notches for determining line positions of said sheet, said notches being of less depth than the radius of the tabs to thereby eliminate lead center resistance to such movement of the sheet. y

4. In combination, a. locator, and a Work sheetniovable past the locator to different line positions by pressure exerted on the sheet, and having at one edge aline of locator engaging tabs defining notches for determining" different `line positions of the sheet and provided respectively With a cam edge movable on the locator When such pressure is exerted on the sheet in the longitudinal direction of the linev of tabs to move the sheet to successive positions, the general direction of said cam edges being at an angle of 45 or less relative to said edge of the sheet to facilitate movement thereof past the locator.

5. A Work sheet having along one edge wat? a series of tabs provided respectively with a cam edge, the general direction of which is at an angle ot' 45o or less relative to said edge of the sheet- 6. In combination, a depressible flat platen, a work sheet movable thereover to different line positions and having line locating notches along one side edge thereof, and a locator adjacent one edge of the platen for engaging a. selected notch to locate the sheet and adapted for such ci'igagenient during depression and elevation of the platen.

7. In. combination, a depressible flat platen, having a vertical recess in one side edge thereof, a Work sheet having a line of locating notches along one side edge thereof, a locator` projecting into said recess for engaging the notched edge of the sheet and adapted for such engagement when the platen is in either its depressed or elevated position.

In testimony whereof I have atlixed my signature.

HARRY A. FOOTHORAP. 

